The Balance of Things
by writerchic16
Summary: When Justin and Harper's daughter messes up the past big time, she needs her aunt Alex's matchmaking skills to put her parents' future back on track. Jarper.
1. Chapter 1

**The Balance of Things**

Summary: When Justin and Harper's daughter messes up the past big time, she needs her aunt Alex's matchmaking skills to put her parents' future back on track. Jarper.

A/N: Yup, this isn't an original concept. But I'm in the mood to just have fun with a story, and this has been written down in my "Story Ideas" text document for a long time. Besides, while I love Zeke, as the series goes on I find myself rooting for Jarper more and more.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter One**

_March 2031_

"This is so not fair!"

When her dad and older brother just gave her exasperated looks in response, Terri Russo stormed out of the Wiztech classroom into the hallway. Furious, she began to take off her wizard robe even before she reached her family's apartment in the castle's east wing. After she cast the spell to reveal the door, she walked in to find her mother at the dining area table, working on her laptop.

"Mom!" she yelled as she tossed her balled-up robe onto the couch. "Dad's teaching Jerry another cool spell, and he won't even tell me what it _is_! Why won't he believe that I'm just as smart and responsible as Jerry is? Even more so!"

Harper Russo sighed while she took off the reading glasses she'd been using to help her write her latest novel. "I promise, Terri, I've talked with your father about this before," she said, walking over to her outraged daughter. "And he does think you're very smart. Responsible, not so much."

"I am too!" Terri shouted. "I do all my homework, both mortal and magic, plus I get good grades. What more does he want?"

Though there was sympathy on her face, Harper replied. "Maturity. You do have a habit of not thinking your spells through. Like that time you cast an invisibility spell on the mess in your room rather than cleaning it. Then your clothes started to disappear."

"Hey, I was fourteen! I'm sixteen now. I don't do that anymore," Terri retorted, her arms crossed. True, she wasn't perfect. But she'd grown up a lot in two years. And it wasn't her fault she'd inherited some of her aunt Alex's rebellious streak.

Her eyes narrowed, Harper argued, "Look, you know I try to let you kids use magic within reason. But it can be very dangerous. You need to prove you can use your powers wisely."

"And Jerry has?" Terri asked, her tone incredulous. "He uses McCreery Timereary all the time when he's late to class by a few seconds!"

The spell usage news to Harper, she became angry for a second, but quickly refocused on the conversation. "I'll be talking to your brother later. The point is, he's at the end of his training, which means he's allowed to learn more complex spells. As will you and Zeke when you're his age."

"Please. Zeke's such a nerd, he'll probably figure out the spells before Dad teaches him," Terri remarked. Even though her little brother was only thirteen, he'd zipped through spell workbooks that had taken her months to complete at his age. Yet somehow he had trouble figuring out his music player. Their parents often said Zeke was simply "book smart," but Terri knew that meant he had no common sense whatsoever.

"Well maybe, but that's Zeke," her mother insisted. "_You_ will just have to be patient."

Too upset to do homework, Terri went to the apartment's extra room, which the family used as their wizard lair. While not as roomy and elaborate as the one in her grandparents' home, there were plenty of magical books and objects the kids liked to go through during their free time.

There was also a desk, and plenty of teaching awards with the name "Justin Russo" printed on them. Her father once tried to claim this as his office since they didn't need the space for lessons. But her mother convinced him to leave the room for the kids, which Terri thought was pretty cool. She suspected her mortal mother embraced magic both because she grew up around it, and because of how much stress Grandma Russo endured uselessly trying to fight it.

However, while Terri respected her mother, she didn't always listen to her.

"'Be patient,'" Terri muttered to herself. She quickly found a book on time travel, which she knew contained the spell her older brother was learning at the moment. "Yeah, right."

* * *

_March 2011_

A half hour later, Terri appeared behind the staircase in her grandparents' restaurant. Just like she'd intended. Which meant the spell actually worked.

_Yes!_ Terri thought as she walked further into the Sub Station, incredibly proud of herself. _Take that, Dad! And you thought I couldn't handle time travel. I'll bet Jerry wasn't able to learn the spell so quickly._ True, she'd needed a couple tries to get it right, but that was expected for complex magic.

The spell she'd used was limited, so she'd be whisked back to the present in twenty minutes. That was fine with Terri. Any longer and she might mess up the past, especially since she wanted to see what her parents were like as teenagers. However, this also meant she had to make the most of her short trip.

While she was twenty years in the past, she recognized the Sub Station instantly. She saw pictures often, but in reality, her grandparents had changed very little. Terri knew this was due to Grandpa Jerry's cheapness, despite his claim that the "rustic look" added charm. But she didn't care, she still loved visiting the place every Sunday for dinner, and was happy the restaurant miraculously stayed open through years of near-bankruptcy.

Realizing she was getting lost in nostalgia, Terri shook her head so she could concentrate on her mission to locate her parents. Within seconds she spotted her mother, about Terri's age at this point, chatting with her best friend, Aunt Alex. Terri smiled, glad that the two had stayed such good friends even after twenty years. Of course it helped that they saw each other every week, but they also talked on the phone at least once a day.

They seemed to be deep in conversation at the cash register, so Terri sat at the counter three seats away. She could overhear easily, but she'd seem like a regular customer as she browsed the menu. Fortunately, the fashion trends of this time were just making a comeback in hers, so her leggings, skirt, and top pretty much blended in.

"Come on Harper, let me set you up," Alex pleaded while her best friend organized the cash register drawer. "Mason and I need someone to double-date with."

Her face hidden by the menu, Terri raised an eyebrow at that. So her aunt wasn't even dating her uncle yet. And from what Alex had said, Terri's parents weren't together either.

Not into the idea, Harper shook her head. "No! I just broke up with Zeke. I'm not ready!"

"How does that make sense? _You_ broke up with _him_, so why - "

But Terri barely heard what Alex was saying.

_She just broke up with _who_ now?_

The revelation made Terri choke back the "oh my gosh" she'd been just about to exclaim, worried she'd draw the teens' attention. However, her effort didn't do any good, as both Harper and Alex whirled around to stare. Her brow creased with worry, Harper offered, "Are you okay? Here, let me get you some water."

"No, really, I'm okay..." But Terri's protests went unheard as Harper went into the kitchen, then emerged a second later with a full glass. "Thanks," Terri muttered, reluctantly accepting the drink.

Instead of just returning to their conversation like Terri hoped, the other two continued to stare at her. "Do I know you?" Alex asked, much to Terri's horror. "You look _really_ familiar."

"I was just thinking that! Do you go to Tribeca Prep, maybe?" Harper asked. Then she shook her head. "No, Alex wouldn't recognize you from school."

"Oh I know this one. Because she's barely there herself. Ha, ha," Alex finished, playfully glaring at her best friend.

Too overwhelmed to say much, Terri shook her head. "N-no, I, uh, go to a different school."

"I guess you look like someone we know, then," Harper concluded as she took out her order pad. "So, what can I get you?"

"Huh?"

Both Harper and Alex pointed to the menu in Terri's hands.

"Oh! Um, no, I was...waiting for someone! In fact I think I see him outside now. Well, bye!" she blurted, and before they could answer, ran out onto Waverly Place. Her heart pounding, she found a slightly hidden spot where she could cast the time travel spell. She didn't need the extra ten minutes or so. She'd already done enough.

* * *

Alex and Harper watched the strange teen rush out of the restaurant, equally confused. "Hey, she said 'well, bye' just like..."

"I know. That was weird," Harper agreed. At that moment, she happened to glance up and see Justin enter the Sub Station. "Um, I'm going to go check if any dishes need washing," she said as she rushed back into the kitchen.

Left alone at the counter, Alex felt a distinct chill go down her spine. Something happened, but she had no idea what it was. _Eh, well. _Bored, she grabbed a sugar dispenser, then carelessly began emptying the contents into her hand. _If it's important, I'll figure it out later._


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you for the reviews, glad you're enjoying this story!

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_2031_

Back in her own time, Terri sighed with relief. The lair seemed to be the same, books scattered everywhere, her father's teaching awards on the walls. _See? You worried for no reason_,she thought to herself as she went into the hallway. _All you did was talk to your mom and aunt for two minutes. Really, how much damage could you have possibly -_

"Oh. My. Gosh."

She'd arrived in the common area to find a totally unfamiliar space. All of her mother's homey touches were gone. Instead, the apartment looked like every other one she'd seen in Wiztech before residents decorated. There was a wooden table set, a worn couch, and a hearth for cooking since wizards didn't use stoves, or actually cook much at all. The home she'd left had been renovated to meet her mortal mother's standards. This...this wasn't her home. If not for the similar lair, she'd think the return spell had dropped her off in someone else's house.

_What did I do?_

Raw panic setting in, Terri ran for the door and bolted down the hallway towards the classroom where she'd last seen her brother. "Jay?" she screamed. Strangers often mistook the two older siblings for twins when they were addressed as "Jerry and Terri," and she preferred "Terri," so his nickname was created to avoid the mix up. Usually she only called him Jerry when he'd annoyed her somehow. "_Jay!_"

"Terri_? _What happened?"

She nearly crashed into her brother when he stepped out of the classroom, a puzzled expression on his face. "What's going on?" he demanded. "One minute Dad's teaching me a spell. The next...I don't even know, he just vanished."

"Thank goodness, you're still here!" she exclaimed as she hugged him tight. "Please don't be mad," she begged, tears already in her eyes. "I was so angry that you got to learn the time travel spell, I...I..."

Jay's eyes widened. "You got the book out of the lair and cast it yourself?" he guessed. When she nodded, ashamed, he glared at her. "And you didn't think that would be stupid? Or dangerous?"

"I just wanted to prove I could! I didn't mean to mess up time!" Terri insisted. While they both made their fair share of mistakes before, Jay was usually the one who worked out whatever problems they caused. Though not an exceptional student since school tended to bore him, particularly mortal studies, his quick logic always got them out of every rough situation.

Already, Jay's face had taken on that thoughtful expression he wore whenever he was solving a crisis. "We need to find Zeke and tell him what's going on," he declared. "Then go to Professor Crumbs. Maybe he can reset time."

Minutes later, after they'd located a bewildered Zeke who couldn't figure out why his friends suddenly didn't recognize him anymore, the Russo siblings burst into Professor Crumbs' office. He calmly listened to their tale, and when he didn't respond right away, Terri had to ask, "You know who we are, right?" After all, _she_ often kept quiet when she didn't know what was going on to give the impression that she did.

Professor Crumbs chuckled. "Of course I do, Miss Russo," he assured her. "Trust me, after living here for centuries, nothing that happens in this castle escapes my notice."

The siblings let out a collective sigh of relief. "Then you can fix everything?" Zeke asked hopefully.

"Oh no, even I don't have that kind of power," Professor Crumbs informed them. "Time travel and alternate realities are a messy business." He then glanced at Terri. "I suggest you go back in time and undo what you did."

Jay frowned. "That doesn't sound like a good idea. What if she screws up the past even more?"

"If not, then you would need to find the Stone of Dreams," Professor Crumbs explained. "Maybe your parents have mentioned it. However, as that is not an easy task" He paused. "And I think you might better appreciate the extraordinary people you come from, Miss Russo, if you experience their history first hand."

That last remark made Terri give the old wizard a suspicious glance. "Something tells me you could fix all this with a wave of your hand, but you want me to learn some kind of lesson."

"Believe what you may," Professor Crumbs said with a chuckle.

Rather than question the professor's method further, Jay asked, "So, Terri and I will go back into the past, right? That's kind of cool."

"No," Professor Crumbs replied, much to each of the siblings' surprise. "Only your sister. The more wizards you send to a time when they don't belong, the more trouble they could potentially cause. And using magic to keep _one_ wizard in the past as long as he or she needs is difficult enough."

"You mean I have to go _alone_?" Terri exclaimed. "I can't do this! I need Jay!"

"You do not have a choice, Miss Russo."

As Terri hugged her brothers good-bye, she tried to keep her fear in check. This _had_ to be one of Professor Crumbs' infamous tests. He wouldn't send her back if there really was the risk of changing their reality forever, would he?

Terri stubbornly refused to answer that question while her professor began casting the time travel spell.

* * *

_2011_

"Grandma?"

As it turned out, the professor's spell put her in the past...after the Sub Station was already closed. She didn't have enough money for a hotel, even if she had thought to bring her wallet with her. Not sure what else to do, she'd walked around the area until she was exhausted, then passed out on the bench outside Waverly Sub Station. That was why she'd woken up disoriented, and when her eyes opened to a much-younger Theresa Russo staring back at her, the familiar term slipped out of her mouth.

"No, sweetie, I think you're confused," Theresa replied, but she tilted her head. "Though you do look like you could be my granddaughter. If, you know, I was old enough to have a granddaughter. Which I am _definitely_ not."

Terri couldn't help but laugh. _Yup that's my grandma_, she thought. "Thanks, I think." She moved over when Theresa sat down on the bench next to her.

"So, what are you doing out here?" Theresa asked. "I wanted to..._oh_."

Before she could ask, she followed her grandmother's gaze, and realized they were both staring at Terri's wizard wand. She was wearing boots, so naturally she kept her wand there (another tip from her aunt), but overnight it fell out some. "Oh, that...uh..."

"You're a wizard. And you called me 'Grandma,'" Theresa began, her eyes wide. "Who _are_ you?"

_Wow. Busted, and I haven't even been in the past for twenty-four hours. _

Unable to lie to her own grandmother, Terri nervously confessed, "My name is Terri Russo."

"Terri...short for Theresa?" Theresa asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. I _am_ your granddaughter. From the future," Terri explained, which made Theresa gasp. "I, uh, messed up. More than I ever have. I'm here to fix something. But I don't know how, and... I don't have a place to stay." She felt tears form again, but she managed to hold them back.

Her grandmother stayed quiet for a long moment, shocked bewilderment frozen on her face. "How, uh..." she finally sputtered. "How do I..."

"Your name is Theresa Russo, your mother's name is Magdelena, your brother's name is Ernesto, husband's name is Jerry," Terri began. "Your children are wizards Justin, Alex and Max. You and Jerry met in Puerto Rico. He gave up his powers for you. You and Grandpa always fight about magic because you hate what it does to your family, but you love him and all of us anyway. You..."

"Okay, okay, mija," Theresa interrupted, overwhelmed. "I think I'm convinced."

Terri smiled. "You called me 'mija.'"

"Yes, I did," Theresa replied. The two hugged, both wiping tears from their eyes when they broke apart. She paused. "So, I know you're my namesake. What I don't know is who your parents are."

_And there it is_, Terri thought. She'd been expecting the question, from whoever first figured out her true identity. "I don't think that's a good idea," she replied, much to Theresa's disappointment. "I've already got enough problems, and telling you might mess up the future more."

Reluctantly, Theresa nodded. "You're probably right." She sighed, then glanced toward the Sub Station, where through the window they could see other family members inside. "Are you ready for _them_?"

Terri shook her head. She'd given this some thought, and reasoned that it would be even more dangerous for her parents and her dad's siblings to know she was a relative from the future. Surely, Aunt Alex would figure out who she belonged to in an hour. "About that," she replied. "I have an idea."

* * *

_None of this makes any sense_, Alex thought while she sat on the couch and looked through a magazine. She had a list of chores to do that Saturday, but at the moment she needed to figure out what exactly was going on with her best friend. She'd even woken up before noon because of her concern. _First, she breaks up with Zeke. For no reason. Then she's not ready to move on?_

Of course the obvious had occurred to Alex already, but she dismissed it. _She wasn't in _love_ with my brother. She crushed on him all those years since she didn't have any other prospects. There's no way she would ever break it off with Zeke because she had some feelings towards Justin again. That's just normal for her._

_So did something happen I don't know about?_

As she remembered her conversation the day before, Alex groaned. She could tell Harper had been in the right mood to _finally_ confess what exactly was bothering her. And then that weird girl sitting next to them just _had_ to cough.

Now she had to start the process all over again, find another way to make Harper talk.

"Alex!"

At her father's call, Alex sighed. "I'll do my chores later! I'm thinking!" she shouted.

"Family meeting! Now!"

"All _right_," Alex muttered. She brought her magazine with her as she went downstairs, surprised to see the exact weird girl from the day before standing with her mother. "Oh, you again," she said in greeting, which made the teen's face redden with embarrassment. She then paused, realizing how odd this situation was. "Wait, what's going on?"

Theresa stepped forward, a hand on the nervous girl's shoulder. "Well, everyone, this is your father's cousin, Terri. She's a wizard too."

"What, really?" Jerry asked, more surprised than anyone. He turned to the young wizard. "Who's granddaughter are you?"

There was a strange moment where Alex could've sworn both her mother _and_ the new relative squirmed. "Your father's sister, Kate," Terri answered.

After a brief hesitation, Jerry nodded. "Oh, yeah. Her oldest son has a daughter who would be about your age now." He shook her hand. "Well, it's good to see you again. I think the last reunion was over ten years ago."

"Yeah, too long," Terri agreed. She then glanced at Alex and Harper. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I'm in some trouble, and I wasn't sure if I should introduce myself."

Concern on his face, Justin asked, "What kind of trouble?"

"It's kind of complicated, but I needed to leave home for a while," Terri explained. "I've always liked New York, then I remembered I had family here." Though the others seemed to buy it, Alex made a mental note to ask about the vague explanation later.

Max chuckled. "Sometimes I need to leave home too. Can't tell you how many times I hop on the train to Brooklyn and these guys never know." His parents quickly glared at him, but he pointed to Terri to distract them. "Hey, there's a new person! Focus on her!"

"So Terri, how long are you planning to be in town?" Jerry asked.

"A few days, maybe more," Theresa answered before Terri could. Then she gave Jerry a meaningful glare. "And she's staying here. She can sleep on the couch."

While the Russos and Harper took in the unexpected news, Alex shrugged. "Hey, as long as I don't have to share a room, I'm all for it." She went over to shake Terri's hand. "Welcome to the family."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for reviewing!

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 3**

After dinner that night, Alex had resumed browsing her magazine, but kept an eye on their new guest. Obviously, given the thin excuse for her appearance in their lives, Terri had at least a few secrets. Since Alex wasn't making any progress with Harper, she decided to devote that night to learning what her "cousin's" story was. Besides, Mason was getting ready for the full moon in a couple of days, so she had some free time anyway.

_Why is she really here?_ Alex thought again, watching while Terri chatted with Justin. _She didn't have any stuff with her. Where was she before this?_ Of course, Alex didn't care if Terri was or wasn't in some sort of huge trouble. She just got annoyed when other people had secrets she couldn't immediately figure out.

Meanwhile, Harper was on the couch, writing a story on her laptop. Ever since her first novel about Alex and Mason had been lost, she decided it was safer to document the Russos' lives electronically so she always had a backup. "'And so the Rodriguez family welcomed her into their household, even though Thea had not earned their trust...'" She paused to reread what she wrote, then sighed. "I can't use this! Thea's _way_ too much of a Mary Sue."

"A _what_?" Alex asked, amused.

"A Mary Sue," Harper informed her. "A character who everyone else in the story automatically loves and feels sorry for." She discreetly jerked a thumb back at Terri. "Mary Sue. To a 't.'"

Though the argument seemed ridiculous since her cousin was a real person, Alex had to agree. Throughout dinner she'd noticed how her mother treated Terri as if she was her own daughter, even called her 'mija' more than once. And because of Theresa's acceptance, her family followed suit, though Alex could tell Justin was also a little suspicious. Still, Alex reminded Harper, "Well, she _is_ family." At her best friend's doubtful expression, she added, "Oh, she totally is. She _looks_ like a Russo."

They both glanced back at Terri to scrutinize her features. Finally, Harper nodded. "I guess, maybe that's why she looked familiar yesterday." A second later, Harper whirled around again. "You know, she could be a Finkle too. She has my nose. And our eyes are the same. It's funny, when I had that super creepy crush on Justin, I imagined what our kid would look like." Again, she pointed at Terri. "And that's pretty close."

"Oh, gross!" Alex remarked with a shiver. The thought of her best friend and her brother as a couple would _always_ freak her out.

Her reaction made Harper frown. "Still? Aren't we at the point in our teenage years where you would be _happy_ for us if Justin and I got together?"

"Please, Harper. Don't go back to that stuff now that you're single again," Alex warned, her tone serious. So far, Harper had been too upset over her break up to start her obsessive crush behavior. But Alex _had_ noticed that her best friend became tense whenever Justin was around, which made her worry old feelings might be replacing the hurt from dumping Zeke.

"As messed up as it sounds, going out with Zeke taught me that Justin and I can only be friends if I _don't_ act like a nutcase," Harper revealed. "So no, I won't be doing that again. Do I still think Justin's cute? Well, duh. I'm a girl, aren't I?" While the sentiment made Alex roll her eyes, Harper continued, "But I'll settle for being friends. Who knows? Maybe _he'll_ start crushing on _me_. I think 'hard to get' is the better approach with him."

Her best friend's little speech made Alex even more confused. "Wait, explain this to me," she said. "Yesterday, you wouldn't let me set you up because of your break up with Zeke. Now you're already talking about going after Justin? You _do_ still 'like' my brother, don't you?"

"It's _nothing_, Alex! I was talking about, like, the distant future. Relax, will you?" Harper said, chuckling to herself as she went back to writing.

_No way,_ Alex thought._ You can't ask me about Justin and then say you don't like him that way anymore. _Frustrated, she began, "But if you don't, _why_ did you..."

"Alex, enough for now, okay?" Harper pleaded.

"Fine," Alex muttered. "For _now_." With a resigned sigh, she went back to her magazine.

* * *

Late that night, Alex wandered downstairs. Typically a night owl, she rarely fell asleep before two in the morning, so midnight snacks were common for her. She always kept a candy stash in the back of the vegetable drawer so her father wouldn't find it. Sure, her room would be a better hiding place, but for some odd reason she enjoyed walking around the loft after midnight.

Besides, her recent dilemmas were getting in the way of her usual sound sleep. She never got the chance to question Harper more, and she was still trying to think of possible reasons for Terri's appearance. Maybe her cousin would be awake and in the mood to chat.

However, Terri was fast asleep on the couch when Alex got to the loft's common area. _Oh well_, _I guess we can't chat now_, Alex thought. Grinning to herself, she opened the fridge door, then slammed it closed so hard the appliance shook. _Yeah, right._

Sure enough, startled Terri bolted upright, rubbing her eyes. Alex gave her an innocent smile. "Oh, I'm sorry _couz_, did I wake you up?"

Terri blinked, still dazed from sleep. "'Couz'?"

"You know, short for cousin. Well, really, cousins who are _friends_." Alex grabbed a couple of peanut butter cups out of the fridge, gently closed the door this time, and sat next to her bewildered cousin on the couch. She handed one of the cups to Terri. "See? _Friends_."

"Uh...thanks?" Terri hesitantly took the candy, but didn't open it. "Um, look, it's great that you apparently want to bond or something, but can I go back to sleep? We can pick this up in the morning. You know, when I'm awake."

Alex laughed. "Oh, come on now. Did you really think you could show up, say you were in trouble, and avoid being grilled like a T-bone?"

"Being _what_ like a... _what_?"

"It's an expression. Stay with me," Alex said, taking a bite of her chocolate and talking with her mouth full. "So, are you, like, pregnant?"

"_Huh_?"

Again, Alex chuckled. _This is going to be easy._ "You said you were in 'trouble,' so..."

"_Oh_! No, of course not!" Terri sputtered, embarrassed. "Nothing like that."

_Clue number one_, Alex thought. _Not a boyfriend problem._ "What, then? Is there a lot of fighting at home? Before she moved in, Harper used to sleep over _all_ the time when that happened." She paused. "Don't tell her I told you. Personal stuff."

"Uh...I...well, no, not that either," Terri replied. She became thoughtful, as if shocked by what she'd been told. Then she whispered, "I never knew that," so quiet Alex wasn't sure if she'd heard right.

Since she _was_ looking to dig up information, Alex called her on it. "Why would you?" she asked, carefully placed accusation in her tone. "You just met her."

"Right, uh, I think I'm just tired," Terri said, lying back on the couch.

But Alex wasn't done with her yet. "So if it's not a guy, and not your family, _why are you here?_" she demanded. "I don't know you got my parents to buy your 'distant relative looking for somewhere to stay' excuse, but _I_ don't. _No one_ gets mixed up with this branch of the Russo family tree by choice, _believe_ me..." When there was no response, Alex noticed that Terri had supposedly gone back to sleep. "Oh, stop pretending to sleep. I invented that."

"I'm not _pretending_. I'm _tired_," Terri insisted. But at Alex's glare, she sat up again. "Okay, okay! If I give you a hint, will you let me go back to sleep?"

"Hah, I knew it! Are you, like, an evil wizard on the run or something?" Alex suggested. The thought had actually crossed her mind when considering possibilities.

"Will you stop _guessing_? You're very bad at it!" Terri snapped. When Alex settled down and listened, she said, "Remember Puerto Rico, when magic went crazy and you had to fix it? Well, I'm in _that_ kind of trouble. Happy?"

As Terri went back to sleep, Alex's eyes widened. "Wait, how did you know about..." she trailed off since Terri had promptly closed her eyes again. "Oh, never mind." Stories like the Russo siblings' adventure in Puerto Rico tended to spread among wizard families, so Alex supposed she shouldn't be surprised that Terri heard what happened. Still, she had to wonder exactly _how _magic had gone wrong this time, and why Terri had chosen Alex's family to help make things right.

* * *

Terri always knew her mother had been into fashion design before she became a novelist. But no matter how many outrageous outfits she'd seen in pictures, _nothing_ could prepare her for this.

Her mother's closet at the moment was full of strange costumes, one after another made of materials no one would ever think to incorporate in an outfit. Thankfully, Harper had toned down her wardrobe over the years, and finally settled into a normal, if a bit loud, style. Terri's own tastes were a little out there in that she loved vintage, and ironically enough, most of her wardrobe would fit quite well if she had it with her. But she didn't, which meant she had to borrow some clothes.

However, while she _did_ go overboard with the vintage look, she was _sure_ her mother's clothes weren't indicative of this decade's trends at all. Though Terri tried to hide the shock on her face, she simply couldn't mask her horror. This made Alex burst out laughing, and Harper glare, as if daring Terri to make a negative remark.

"Uh, well, Harper, your style is...unique," Terri finally stuttered. "B-but I'm not really..._brave_ enough to wear it."

Much to Terri's surprise, her mother smirked. "True. It takes a special kind of person to rock _my_ style," Harper said proudly, posing in the used notebook paper dress she was currently wearing. As in, someone could take an eraser and do some serious damage to the pattern.

"You can say that again," Alex agreed, still choking back laughter. "Well, since _no one_ wears _my_ clothes, we'll have to take Terri shopping."

"But I don't have any money," Terri reminded her.

Alex shrugged. "That's what Mom's credit card is for."

Since she had borrowed some of Harper's pajamas, and Theresa had already thrown the guest's only outfit in the laundry, Terri settled for the most normal-looking outfit she could find in Harper's closet. Thankfully, her mother actually did have some track pants and a t-shirt for working out purposes. So Terri changed, and the three girls went out shopping.

Hours later, they returned to the loft, in a very good mood after buying days' worth of outfits for Terri, which probably tacked on a couple hundred dollars to her grandmother's credit card bill. Sure, Terri felt a little bad about this, but she _did_ need clothes.

"I wish they had a _Suburban Outfitters_ near me," Terri said while she put a shopping bag on the couch to once again look at a few great tops she bought. "I loved everything in there!"

Alex nodded sympathetically. "Yeah, I heard the Wizard World hasn't figured out online shopping with mortal companies yet."

"Nope. I have to transport _so_ far for _everything_," Terri whined. She was too distracted by her purchases to notice that her mother had walked over to where Terri's cleaned and folded had been placed on the couch. Only when Harper picked up the shirt and leggings to sniff them did Terri glance up. "Uh...Harper? What are you doing?"

Shamelessly, Harper explained, "Trying to figure out what material this is. It's not cotton, not polyester...what is it? I've never seen it in any fabric store before."

"Oh, it's a, um...special wizard blend," Terri fibbed, realizing her mortal clothing material hadn't been invented yet. "Not really that common."

Before Harper or Alex could reply, Justin came downstairs. Terri raised an eyebrow when her mother became _very_ tense, clearly wanting to run away but trying not to. While her father asked Alex about a spell book's location, Harper remained quiet and took some deep breaths, her eyes even closing when she didn't think anyone was looking.

When Justin finally got around to saying hello to the other two, Harper practically jumped. "Um, hey Harper, Terri," he greeted. "Mom said there was leftovers in the fridge if you didn't eat lunch while you were out."

"Thanks," Harper replied curtly, then busied herself with going through the shopping bag she'd been carrying. In response, Terri saw her father raise an eyebrow at Harper's behavior, but there was definitely some concern there too. He looked like he wanted to say more, but after glancing at Terri and Alex, he simply went back upstairs. The second he was out of sight, Harper dropped her shopping bag as she bolted down the metal staircase, presumably going to her room.

For a good, long minute, Terri and Alex stood there, not exactly sure what had happened. Thinking this might be an opportunity to learn what had caused the change in her parents' future, Terri glanced at her aunt. "What's up with them?"

"I have _no idea_," Alex whined, her arms crossed. "Ever since Harper broke up with her ex, Justin's best friend Zeke, she's been acting stranger than usual around Justin." Alex sighed. "If it were any other boy and girl, I'd think they made out, and that's why Harper felt like she had to break up with Zeke. But not with them. While she _always_ crushed on him, Justin would never do that to his best friend, and she's very loyal too."

Terri frowned. "Well, we _have_ to figure this out soon. They can't stay like this forever."

"Right. I mean, Harper's my best friend, they have to make up eventually..." Alex trailed off, then quickly glanced at Terri. "Wait, why do you care so much?"

Caught, Terri tried to shrug casually. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Yeah, but..." Excited Alex began to pace the room while, as Terri became _very_ nervous, she began to put all the pieces together. "When we were out shopping, you asked all about Harper's relationship with Justin, and when she started dating Zeke. Magic gone wrong..."

Knowing she'd been caught again, Terri winced. "You're getting it..."

"'Wizard' fabric I've never heard of...you look like both a Russo _and_ a Finkle..."

"Almost..."

"_Oh my gosh_!" Alex finally exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Terri. "Y-you're...you're Justin and Harper's daughter! From the future!"

Terri grimaced, wondering how much the timeline had been changed. "And there it is."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks for reviewing everyone!

**

* * *

****Chapter 4**

Lounging on the recliner in the lair, Alex scooped out twice the amount of ice cream her spoon was supposed to hold, then stuffed the entire mound of creamy sugar in her mouth without another thought. "You're really Justin and Harper's daughter," she said once she could talk. "That's so _gross_!"

"Alex!" Theresa replied. She, Alex and Terri were each eating ice cream out of their own individual-sized carton, grabbed from the Sub Station's freezer. "It's not gross." She smiled at her granddaughter, who sat next to her on the teacher desk. "It's wonderful."

Though her mouth was full of vanilla-covered cookie dough bits, Terri managed to mumble, "Thank you, Grandma."

"Ugh, 'Grandma.'" The word made Theresa shake her head, her nose wrinkled. "_Grandma_. Look, mija, I love you, but I don't think I'm quite _there_ yet. Maybe just 'Theresa' for now."

Alex laughed along with her niece, and the trio was quiet for a moment while they continued snacking. After she'd reached the startling conclusion, Terri hadn't denied it, claiming she felt queasy lying to her "aunt" anyway. While Alex liked that she intimidated family members in the future, she was still wrapping her mind around the concept of her brother and best friend _actually_ getting married and having a kid. They'd gone down to the lair, where she could freak out without worrying someone would walk in since Justin didn't have a delinquent class until the next day.

When they passed the Sub Station they ran into Theresa, who Terri revealed knew most of the secret too and would probably want in on the freak out fest. So that was how the three women ended up seated on the desks in the lair, wallowing in ice cream and their various emotions. Alex still couldn't believe that in a few years, she would be an aunt. Terri had no idea how she was going to fix whatever mistake she made. And Theresa was coping with the idea of being a grandmother.

"So what do you think you did?" Alex asked her niece. "See, when I messed up time, it was easy. 'I wish you and Dad never even met.' Pretty much says it all."

Theresa sighed. "I still can't believe you did that, Alex. You almost destroyed our family!" She paused. "Though it _was_ nice to save the day for once."

"Oh, yeah. I guess that one _was_ yours," Alex remembered. "If you hadn't showed up with the Stone of Dreams, I would've had to figure out the spell. And I'm sure that big funnel cloud would've swept me away before _that_ happened."

Her eyes wide, Terri remarked, "I have a lot to learn about this family." At their glances, she explained, "You've all mentioned it once in a while, but I never really got the little details. Like the 'big funnel cloud.' Yeah, _that'll_ be popping up in my nightmares."

"Hold on, we're getting off track here," Theresa reminded them. "Now, Terri, how will we know when you've fixed whatever needed fixing? Yeah, sure, we can push Justin and Harper together, but it might be months before they become a couple." At Alex's disgusted face, Theresa said to her daughter, "Alex, honey, I know this is weird, but it's obviously going to happen. Start accepting it now."

After giving her aunt a sympathetic glance, Terri answered, "There was something in Professor Crumbs' spell about returning 'when time has been set back on course.' So we'll know." She sighed. "It has to have something to do with when I first cast the spell and ruined everything. What were you and Mom talking about, Aunt Alex?"

"Whoa, that was weird," Alex remarked, too startled by the title Terri had used to answer.

"Isn't it?" Theresa agreed. "At least she didn't call _you_ 'Grandma.'" With that, she took another big bite of ice cream. At Terri's concerned glance, she added, "I'll get over it eventually. Maybe by the time you're born."

Shaking her head, Alex went back to her niece's question. "Anyway, it's true, I _was_ about to make Harper tell me why she broke up with Zeke. But how would that change the whole _future_?"

"Okay, let's say you _did_ get Mom to talk," Terri began, thinking aloud. "What might have happened?"

Alex shrugged. "Well, I don't know what she would've said, but I would've helped her deal with it." the realization dawning on her, Alex's eyes widened. "Which would've probably fixed that weirdness between her and Justin! So then they could grow closer until they started dating! Hah, I did it!" Still uncomfortable with the thought, Alex shivered. "Bad enough I have to _know_ about Harper and Justin hooking up. Now I have to actually get them _together_. Ugh."

"For me, Aunt Alex?" Terri jokingly begged with her best puppy dog face.

While Theresa laughed, Alex raised an eyebrow. "I taught you that, didn't I?" When Terri nodded, she replied, "Knew it. That's my classic pout. Works every time."

They spent the rest of the afternoon thinking of ways to get Terri's parents together...and finishing all three containers of ice cream.

* * *

Hours later, Alex relaxed in one of the student chairs, reading the chapter Justin had assigned her and the other delinquents to read that week. While she _was_ focusing on her wizard studies so she could move up in the competition, she had an ulterior motive for hanging out in the lair. She knew for a fact that her older brother always went in there to organize it for the next day's lesson.

Sure enough, Justin walked in about an hour before he usually went to bed, carrying a stack of teaching materials. He paused when he reached the front of the classroom, surprised by Alex's presence. She grinned at him. "I'm studying," she explained as she held up the book.

"I know. It's just...weird," Justin remarked, smirking. "So what are you really doing in here?" Alex insistently held up the book again. "No, _really_."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, you know I've been determined to move up in the wizard competition. Is it really so unbelievable that I'd be studying?" Her brother just stared at her for a long moment. Finally she broke down and laughed. "Honestly, I'm surprised I was able to say that with a straight face. Now, tell me what the deal is between you and Harper. There was weirdness yesterday." Alex paused. "Although with Harper that's pretty typical."

Not offended by the inquiry, Justin shrugged. "I don't know. She's been like that ever since she broke up with Zeke. And Zeke's my best friend, so best friend rules state that I'm not supposed to be nice or talk to girl he was dumped by."

"Those _are_ the rules," Alex agreed, then remarked,"Wait, you told her there was food in the fridge."

"Mom told me to! Besides, I was also speaking to Terri." At Alex's doubtful glance, Justin sighed. "Okay, to be honest, I do miss hanging out with Harper. We were friends before she broke it off with Zeke. I just...I want to know what happened. Even he isn't sure. For the past few weeks he's been moping around his house singing about how he'll never understand women."

"Shoot," Alex said. When he gave her a confused glance, she explained, "I was hoping to grill you, then use whatever information you gave me against Harper. But you turned out to be useless."

Justin shrugged. "Wish I could be more helpful."

Pouting, Alex crossed her arms. "Are you _sure_ nothing happened between you two? Maybe when you were on your date with 'Juliet'?"

"You didn't see all of that?" Justin asked, surprised.

Alex frowned at the memory. "Got distracted. Stupid raft kept drifting away."

"Ah," Justin said with a laugh. "Well, if Harper didn't tell you, I don't know if I should."

"Like I couldn't make you tell me everything in a second," Alex pointed out smugly.

"That _is_ true. Why fight it?" he agreed. Slightly uncomfortable with the story, he began, "Okay, well, she was telling me all about the plan she got you involved in, but that she only did it so I'd move on. She was being really nice to me, so...I kissed her." When Alex's eyes bugged, he quickly added, "Nothing major, just a peck on her cheek! That was it!"

"But it was probably enough to get Harper crushing on you again!" Alex accused, her eyes narrowed.

Defensively, Justin argued, "Okay, so maybe I shouldn't have done that, but I _doubt_ that's what made Harper break up with Zeke. Even _she_ knows it was just a platonic friend kiss!"

"There's no such thing as a platonic friend kiss between a guy and a girl!" Alex retorted. She shook her head at him, disgusted. "You _idiot_."

Guilt appeared on Justin's face. "You really I think I somehow caused my best friend's girlfriend to dump him?"

"Please, don't make this about you. Whatever Harper was thinking, she was already thinking those thoughts before you kissed her, I'm sure. Why else would she go through all the trouble of trying to make you get over Juliet..._oh_." Alex paused, her eyes wide. She slowly got up from her seat. "Huh, didn't see _that_ one coming."

Justin raised an eyebrow while he reluctantly asked, "You think Harper never stopped crushing on me? Even when she was with Zeke?" He sighed. "Don't answer that."

"Good call," Alex assured him. Then she ran out of the lair to find her secretive best friend.

* * *

"Harper Finkle..._ow_!"

Alex rubbed her bruised head after she bumped it on the basement pipe, then rushed down the rest of the stairs. "Harper, you've got some explaining to do!" she continued when her best friend looked up with mild curiosity.

Her computer open in her lap, Harper just laughed. "Great imitation so far, now try it with a Spanish accent." At Alex's blank look, Harper sighed as she put her laptop aside. "Never mind. What's up?"

"Why did you lie about crushing on Justin again?" Alex spat, her hands on her hips.

Harper blinked. "Excuse me?"

"That's the only way to explain all of this," Alex said, going into full rant mode. "When Justin kissed you that night you dated him as Juliet, it brought back all those old feelings. Then you fell in love with Justin again so you felt guilty for being with Zeke and dumped him for no obvious reason. Which is totally messed up because you can't dump a guy just because your old crush makes a move that didn't even mean anything..."

Annoyed Harper stood up and crossed her arms. "_Alex_! Do I at least get to tell you my side of this before you start of accusing me of stuff?"

"I guess that would be fair," Alex grumbled.

There was a silent moment where Harper figured out what she was going to say. At Alex's impatient glance, she began, "I'm not _crushing on_ Justin again."

"Yeah, right - "

"_Alex_!"

"Fine, go ahead."

"I swear, I'm not _crushing on_ Justin again," Harper repeated. She seemed to be afraid of her best friend's reaction, but continued anyway. "It's more than that. I'm in _love with him_."

There was another silence, then Alex quietly asked, "Are you sure?"

Harper nodded. "I can't stop thinking about him," she confessed. "Even before he kissed me, I...I got all crazy about him every time he walked in the room. Before the Juliet incident, I think I started to like Zeke only because I was sick of being rejected by Justin. But getting that kiss...I started to think there was finally hope. Don't get me wrong, Zeke is a fantastic guy. But when my feelings for Justin really started to take over, I had to let him go. Zeke's so loyal...he deserves so much better."

"Oh," Alex replied, not sure what else to say. She sat down next to Harper on the bed, confused and overwhelmed by what she'd just discovered. "You know...if you're serious about dating my brother, I think you have a chance now, more so than you ever did." Of course, she was dying to tell Harper all about Terri's true identity, assure her that everything would work out. But doing that might bring back Harper's obsessive tendencies, which would destroy any progress she'd made.

"I would love that," Harper admitted, a wistful note to her voice. "But...I think I've finally accepted it's never going to happen between me and Justin. He's rejected me so many times, it's hard for me to believe things will ever happen between us." She gave Alex an apologetic glance. "That's why I didn't tell you. I know you'd want to get me and Justin together, even if the idea does gross you out. You're such a hopeless romantic, and I love you for it." Harper sighed. "But please, just stay out of this. I'm sure I'll get over Justin once I go away to college and don't see him anymore. Until then...well, I've dealt with unrequited feelings toward him for years. I'm sure I can last a few months."

_So this is what messed up the future_, Alex thought, relieved to finally know what happened. _Harper and I were going to have this talk the other day. In the original timeline, I must have convinced her she should go after Justin._ When Alex smiled at the realization, Harper gave her a confused glance. "Harper, if you were still acting like a nutcase around him, I'd tell you that's the right idea," Alex said. "But look at you now! You've finally realized that making him sweaters out of your hair only makes him want to file a restraining order against you! I mean, sure, the concept of actually dating the creepy girl who used to watch him while he slept might take some getting used to, but if do this right, I know that Justin will fall for you too."

"Those are nice words, Alex," Harper replied, not affected at all by Alex's speech. "But nothing you say will make me change my mind. I can't take anymore heartbreak."

"But - "

Ignoring her, Harper glanced at the clock on her nightstand. "It's late, Alex, and tomorrow's a school day. Good night."

"But..." When Harper only continued to get ready for bed, Alex reluctantly accepted she wouldn't make any more progress that day. "Good night, Harper," she said, then went back upstairs. Though she made her way towards her bedroom, Alex knew she wouldn't be getting much sleep that night. She had a matchmaking scheme to plan.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Like her grandparents' restaurant, Terri discovered that Tribeca Prep also hadn't changed at all in the last twenty years. Of course, she attended Wiztech full time for the free tuition, but she knew the mortal school well since her father was an active member of the alumni association. Terri had attended many luncheons and dinners in the cafeteria. "Hey, does that water fountain actually work in this time?" Terri whispered to Alex, pointing to the one down the hallway. She'd tried it several times while her father talked with the principal, and it never failed to squirt her in the face.

"You mean they _haven't_ fixed it in twenty years? Well, I am just _shocked_," Alex deadpanned, making Terri laugh. She then gave her niece a curious glance. "So...you go here?"

Caught off-guard, Terri shook her head. "Oh, no. My dad drags us to a lot of alumni events." She sighed. "Every single one, actually."

"Yeah, that sounds like Justin," Alex remarked, amused. They walked down the hallway towards Alex's locker. "_So_..." she began again. "Where _do_ you go to school? Or does everyone take classes online in the future? I'd imagine you'd run out of high school teachers in the future anyway...I mean, who wants _that_ job?"

After trying to make sense of that for a good ten seconds, Terri just shook her head. "No! I go to Wiztech because..." She paused when she noticed that Alex was giving her niece her undivided attention. Then it clicked. "Hey! I already told you earlier, _I can't talk about the future!_"

"I tried," Alex remarked with a shrug, slamming her locker closed after she'd pulled out a cheeseburger.

Terri raised an eyebrow. "A cheeseburger? It's ten in the morning!"

"I know. This is my pre-lunch snack," Alex explained. She unwrapped it and took a bite. "Plus the smell of pickles wakes me right up. Love those."

Amazed, Terri could only remark, "Now I understand why Mom and Dad never let you baby-sit."

"Smart move on their part," Alex agreed.

Nervous since her aunt was two hours late to class, Terri checked the time on the school's clock again, hoping they wouldn't get detention. Of course she could've gone to school with Harper and Max two hours ago, but waiting in the loft allowed her the opportunity to catch up with her aunt about Alex's discovery the night before. Naturally, Terri was thrilled. Her mom being in love with her dad was a step in the right direction.

But they still had a lot of work to do. Harper was understandably afraid to go after Justin at the risk of getting hurt again. And they had no idea if Justin even _considered _her as a potential girlfriend, which was unlikely given his history with her. Since Alex didn't have a plan yet, maybe Terri would go back to the loft after lunch and have a talk with her father about this. He'd probably be more honest with someone who wasn't close family...in this time period, at least.

Oh yeah, _that_ wouldn't be awkward. She'd have to think about the idea some more.

Worried, Terri noticed that they were just standing in the hallway alone, Alex eating her burger. "Uh, Aunt Alex? Don't we have somewhere to be? Like, I don't know..._class_?"

Alex shrugged. "Probably."

"What? You don't even - "

"Hey guys!"

The two girls looked up as Max approached them, confusion on his face. "What are you doing here?"

"This is when I usually get to school," Alex casually replied.

"Well duh, I knew that," Max said, then turned to Terri. "I meant _you_. Why bother going to school when you don't even have to? You're like Justin on Senior Ditch Day."

While Alex chuckled at the joke, Terri shrugged. "Just figured I'd be bored at the loft."

"You wanted to get out of working in the Sub Station?" Max guessed.

Sheepishly, Terri confessed, "Yeah, that too." Whenever she used to visit the Sub Station during her younger teenage years, her grandparents usually tried to squeeze at least one shift out of her while she was there. They tried that with any family members who visited, actually. "Wait, Max, what are you doing out here?"

"Taking attendance to the office. I always do that so I can walk aimlessly around the halls between classes," he answered proudly. "So Alex, do you want to go to a meeting with me after school?" Max asked, bursting with excitement. "Tribeca is starting a _cheese club_, how cool is that? You just get to sit around and eat one of the best foods in the world!" He paused. "I think there's something about learning in there, but I forget what it is. Anyway, maybe if I recruit members, they'll let me eat as much cheese as I want."

Intrigued, Alex considered it for a second, then shook her head. "While that _is_ a club I wouldn't mind if I was forced to pick one, I'll pass. My goal is to leave here as early as possible every day."

"Oh, right," Max remembered. "Well, tell Mom that's where I'll be. Later."

They both said good-bye, and Alex asked, "Okay, I have to ask. Does Uncle Max make more sense in the future?"

Terri laughed. "No, not really." She'd been trying to figure her uncle Max out for over ten years. And so far, getting to know his younger self wasn't helping.

* * *

After much indecision about the idea throughout Alex's morning classes, Terri decided to go back to the Sub Station for lunch. She knew her father would be there. As her family explained at breakfast, Jerry and Theresa allowed Justin to put off college for a year so he could focus on the wizard competition. But in return Justin had to work at least one shift at the restaurant every day. Throughout the course of his senior year of high school, he'd gotten out of the chore since he was either monster hunting or trying to getting over Juliet.

Sure enough, Justin was there taking customers' orders when Terri got back. "Hey, Justin," Terri greeted as she took a seat at the counter.

Done taking one table's orders, Justin went behind the counter. "Hey, Terri." He passed along the orders to Jerry, then asked who he thought was his cousin, "I know Tribeca Prep isn't exactly a fun Manhattan attraction, so I understand not wanting to stay there. But you shouldn't stay _here_."

"Why?"

As if on cue, Jerry looked out the pass-through window and saw them. "Oh, hi Terri! Guess you didn't feel like staying at school." He tossed her a waitress apron. "You can use Alex's apron for the afternoon. She won't mind."

"Oh, right," Terri muttered, remembering why she'd been reluctant to spend the day there in the first place. Justin gave her a "I tried to tell you" look that eerily made her think of the ones he would give her twenty years into the future. Disturbed, she turned to her grandfather. "Um, I was just stopping by to...pick up a book for Harper. I have to get it to her by fifth period."

Jerry wrinkled his brow. "Why didn't she just ask Alex to flash it in?"

"Please, conjuring a _book_?" Justin covered for her, throwing in a derisive laugh for good measure. "Alex probably thought it was a waste of magic."

"Hah, that makes sense," Jerry agreed.

Giving Justin a quick, thankful glance, Terri threw the apron back to Jerry. "So I won't be needing this then. Can I get a sandwich though, please? I haven't eaten lunch yet."

"Fine, but you'll have to pay for it."

Exasperated Justin argued, "Dad, she's our _cousin_."

"So? I make you kids pay for your sandwiches," Jerry retorted childishly.

Justin smirked. "That's why I never eat here." While Jerry pouted, he told Terri, "Your sandwich is on the house."

"Thank you, _Justin_," Terri replied.

"Yeah, yeah," Jerry grumbled. "What do you want? I'll make it after these orders."

She gave him her order, then when he closed the pass-through, Terri refocused on her original mission. "So Justin, what's with you and Harper?"

"You too?" Justin exclaimed, annoyed. "Did Alex put you up to this?"

_More like the other way around_, Terri thought smugly. "Please. I've only been here a couple days and even I can see there's tension between you two. This morning, you saw Harper sitting at the table and ran for the front door."

"Given our history, I have a perfectly good reason for that," Justin informed her. "Did Alex tell you that Harper used to watch me when I slept?"

Terri's eyes widened. _Well, I certainly could've lived without knowing that about my mom,_ she thought. Shaking her head, she replied, "No, not that. Alex told me she talked to you last night."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised. 'Private business' means _nothing_ to her," Justin muttered.

"I know it freaks you out that she...uh, likes you that way," Terri said, careful about throwing around the "L word." Alex had told her about that conversation too. "But the thought of her as a potential girlfriend _must_ have entered your mind at one point. Ask her out!"

Justin rolled his eyes. "Okay, maybe once or twice over the past few months I've been attracted to Harper, especially since she's not 'that freaky girl who saves my shower drain hair' anymore. But even if I _did_ want to ask her out...which I don't...I couldn't."

"Why not?" Terri demanded.

"She's Zeke's _ex-girlfriend_," Justin insisted. "Who dumped _him_. Zeke's big on loyalty. If I ask Harper out, he'll see it as the _ultimate_ betrayal."

"So, what?" Terri replied. "You'll just _never_ be able to date Harper? That's not fair."

Justin shrugged. "Harper and I can't be a couple until Zeke starts dating someone else. It's a rule." Thinking about what he said, Justin quickly added, "And I don't even want to date Harper anyway!"

"Sure, you keep telling yourself that," Terri retorted. When aggravated Justin went back to work, she quickly ate the sandwich Jerry gave her, then ran back out onto Waverly Place. She had to tell her aunt Alex about her conversation. And school would be a great way to avoid waitress duty.

* * *

Hours after Terri left, Justin got a text from Zeke.

_Needed to get new shoe polish  
__Been clogging away the pain_  
_On my way over_

Justin raised an eyebrow. But rather than waste time trying to figure that one out, he continued working. No doubt that Zeke would explain the odd message when he arrived.

But as he bused a table, Justin found that he was tempted to text Zeke back with an excuse, like he was working or had to prepare for his class. Since Zeke found out about magic, Justin's life had become much easier that way. For the last few months, he'd really felt the pressure. Of course Zeke was crushed when he found out that Justin wouldn't be going to college right away, so he'd been demanding a better explanation than Justin's weak excuse, "I need time to find myself." Poor, literal Zeke couldn't understand what that even meant.

While revealing the big secret brought the two best friends closer, Justin didn't know if he could deal with the knowledge that Harper and Zeke's break-up had actually been _his_ fault. True, Justin had no idea Harper still felt that way about him, and _certainly_ never meant to lead her on. But that didn't matter. He'd still been the cause of his best friend's apparently ongoing emotional pain.

How could he ever look Zeke in the eye again? He was supposed to be Zeke's best friend, yet he was at the moment contemplating the idea of what it would be like to date Zeke's ex.

Yeah, despite what he told Terri, he was considering it. Of course he wasn't ready to admit it to anyone, but Justin found himself thinking about Harper more than he'd like. Before, she'd _always_ been just his little sister's best friend. His little sister's weird, _creepy_, _stalker-ish_ best friend. But when she started dating Zeke, she suddenly transformed into this funny, smart, attractive _woman_. Sure, her outfits were still weird, but he didn't seemed to mind that anymore. In fact, they seemed to be perfect for her.

He was noticing them more and more lately.

She could never be his girlfriend though, even if he did start to fall for her. As long as he was best friends with Zeke, he could never be with Harper.

It wasn't a big deal, he supposed. Sure, he would've liked to try out a relationship with her. But he wasn't head-over-heels in love, like he had been for his other girlfriends. That alone made him think he should be able to get over this little crush easily.

The guilt, however...that would bother him for a long while.

Just when he again considered texting Zeke back, he heard the sound of aluminum taps on concrete. His best friend was clogging down Waverly Place.

Finally Zeke clogged into the Sub Station. However, his typical frantic energy had faded slightly since the break-up, so it was more of a slow, concentrated dance than the usual joyful tapping. He kept it up as he went over to Justin. "Hey, bro."

"Hey, buddy. How are you doing today?" Justin asked.

"As well as I can do in a world without Harper Finkle," Zeke answered, tears already in his eyes. "Why did she dump me? _Why_?"

Justin frowned. "Zeke, I thought you said you were past the weepy, emotional phase."

"I was, but being here brings back the memories," Zeke explained. He finally stopped clogging, then pointed to a random table. "There. That was where we had our last meal together." He pointed to the counter. "And there was where she picked up my sandwich for the last time." He pointed to the stairs. "And that was where we kissed good-night for the last time..."

_Oh boy_, Justin thought, wondering if the Sub Station was the best place for Zeke to be at the moment. That worked in his favor, since he actually did have to start getting ready for his delinquent class. Plus Harper would be home from school soon, which wouldn't be good for Zeke at all. "Hey, um, I've got a class in a few minutes, so maybe we can talk later?"

"Don't leave me alone like this!" Zeke protested, pointing to the distraught expression on his face. "I can help you with your class! Like a teacher's assistant!"

Again, Justin hesitated. Zeke was still adjusting to the concept of magic, so talking about stuff that shouldn't exist for an hour or so might blow his mind. "I don't know if you're ready for that yet, Zeke. Maybe when you're more used to magic."

"Honestly Justin, I'm too upset about Harper to really register anything you'll be teaching," Zeke reminded him. "It's the perfect time for me to see what one of your classes is like. Please, Justin? Please, please, please? You know I'm all about the learning!"

Surprised Justin paused to consider the argument. Though he'd wanted to avoid Zeke, maybe forcing himself to be around his best friend would prevent any awkward tension that might have occurred otherwise. "Sure, why not?" Justin said.

The response made Zeke excitedly go back to his clogging. Justin smiled. It was the first happy dance Justin had seen his best friend do since the break-up.


End file.
